As we close out the last issue of the Coffee And Tea Newsletter for the year, we like to go back and review past issues to discover which stories generated the most interest, were clicked on most often, and generated the most feedback. Below you will find reprints of our most popular stories of 2016. We want to take this time to thank all of our readers, advertisers, and supporters for helping to make this year another great one. If you have a product you would like us to consider for review or have some exciting news to share, please contact us.

We wish you all a wonderful new year filled with all great things.

DIY Tea Scrubs

A good day, for many, starts and ends with tea. An early cup to help ease into the morning; a pick-me-up mid-afternoon; a tipple after dinner; a soothing sip to wind down before bed: They’re all part of a tea lover’s lifestyle. But what if there’s more to tea than simply brewing a beverage? At The Daily Tea, they have been drinking tea for years, and their love and passion for the leaf still drives them to find unique uses for tea. After being told time and again just how healthy tea is for us, a light suddenly went on: It was time to take the next step and nourish our bodies from the outside with DIY Tea Scrubs.

And so, for the folks at The Daily Tea the challenge was accepted: make tea part of everyday bath and beauty rituals. “Incorporating tea into your own routine is easier than you’d think—and you can even make some DIY Tea Scrubs at home in your kitchen,” writes Carter.

The Daily Tea spoke with Rachana (Rachel) Carter, an avid tea enthusiast and founder of iHeartTeas, a line of decadent tea-infused bath and body products, to find out more about using tea in at-home spa treatments. She even shared a few recipes!

How are tea-infused soaks and scrubs made?

The easiest way you can use tea in the bath is in its loose-leaf form. It’s a simple first step to including tea into your beauty regimen. Beyond that, in many bath and beauty treatments, loose-leaf tea can be added along with natural extracts, essential oils, and fragrances. Blended right, they all come together into healthful and rejuvenating options for when it’s time to relax.

How do you choose what ingredients go into your products?

When selecting ingredients, consider the product you’re making. For example, in a salt scrub, you would need to add a naturally exfoliating tea to enhance the scrubbing action. Select a hardy tea, one that would stand up to the addition of oils and salt. A great tea choice would be a CTC (“Crush, Tear, Curl,” a finely processed, broken black tea), such as an Irish Breakfast, not a sencha, which is likely to lose its texture when blended into oils. Be sure to use tea leaves that are more rounded, or even crushed, in order to avoid sharp pieces—you wouldn’t want to get scratched.

What are some of the benefits of using tea in your pampering routine?

Many of us use tea as a natural way to calm and relax the mind. Building from that principle, we can also use tea to enhance our natural beauty and calm. Start with a great tea, then add nourishing butters, oils, and extracts to feed the body. Don’t forget to notice scent! Using aromatherapy and naturally beneficial oils, you can heighten your relaxation and strengthen the connection between mind and body. While tea may offer potent antioxidant benefits, it’s also so much more than that: You can achieve daily balance through peace, happiness, and tea!

Whisk sugar and matcha until well blended, then slowly add oil while whisking steadily. Once all the oil is incorporated, add the peppermint oil if desired.

To Use: Apply scrub gently using a circular motion on face and rub onto lips. Rinse off, wash face with a gentle cleanser, and apply light moisturizer. Try using White Tea Facial Cream by iHeartTeas for a total tea experience.

New Grounds Food, creator of CoffeeBar, an all-natural energy bar infused with a full cup of fair-trade coffee, recently announced the arrival of two new organic, vegan and gluten-free CoffeeBar flavors, Caramel Macchiato and Coconut Mocha.

The brainchild of Northeastern University undergraduates Ali Kothari and Johnny Fayad, the idea for CoffeeBar began when the now college juniors were freshman business students and in desperate need of finding an on-the-go and nutritious way to enjoy both their coffee and breakfast before early morning classes. In 2013, after many hours of dorm room experimentation and countless trial batches, Kothari and Fayad’s coffee-infused energy bar was created.

Now, almost a year after New Grounds Food’s wildly successful Kickstarter campaign, in which the co-founders reached their goal of $10,000 in 15 hours and raised $45,000 in total, the company is excited to introduce two new product flavors to be sold alongside their original Mocha Latte CoffeeBar. Beginning this month, coffee lovers can enjoy CoffeeBar’s Caramel Macchiato, offering a sweet hint of caramel, and Coconut Mocha, which lends an island-inspired, nutty chocolate flavor.

“The public response we’ve received on our concept of “eating your coffee” has far exceeded our expectations, and we’re thrilled to be able to add two, new delicious flavors to the CoffeeBar family,” said New Grounds Food Co-Founder Ali Kothari. “We look forward to sharing our bars and helping people meet the demands of a busy lifestyle!”

Manufactured in Spokane, Washington, CoffeeBar is artfully crafted utilizing the finest all-natural ingredients, like cashews, almond butter, dates and chia seeds, all of which can be found in your pantry – not a laboratory! Boasting a combination of protein, fiber, and natural caffeine with real coffee, CoffeeBar is organic, vegan, gluten-free, and non-GMO. New Grounds Food sources CoffeeBar’s most important ingredient, fair-trade coffee, from the non-profit organization, Chain Collaborative, which facilitates social, environmental, economic and quality-focused initiatives in coffee-dependent communities. Through this partnership, New Grounds Food is able to support members of the non-profit’s robust network, including its Vermont-based affiliate, Planting Hope, which has programs to support migrant coffee-pickers and their families in Nicaragua. If New Grounds Food sells 2.5 CoffeeBars a day, they are able to keep one more child in Nicaragua out of the fields and in school for another day. To date, the company has helped 30+ students stay in classes for an entire year.

New Grounds Food invites coffee lovers to eat their coffee and enjoy its new flavors for on-the-go energy and nutrition. CoffeeBar is available for purchase in three bar sample packs and 12 bar boxes on www.newgroundsfood.com.

In the warmer months, many people look for an alternative to their usual hot coffee, but there are a few other benefits to cold-brewing coffee at home according to Jacqui at Small World Coffee.

First of all, it’s easy: a little measuring, a little waiting, and you’ll have a pitcher of coffee that will last for up to a week. Secondly, and more significantly, cold-brewed coffee is much lower in acidity than traditionally brewed coffee. This makes it an excellent alternative for coffee drinkers who are sensitive to acidity – either as a matter of personal preference, or upon the doctor’s recommendation!

With the right tools and some preparation, you can stock your fridge with cold-brewed coffee to enjoy as the summer approaches!

Get Started:
Grind your coffee coarsely, for a percolator *
Mix the coffee into the water, and steep 18-24 hours in the refrigerator
Strain the steeped mixture through coffee filters, removing the grinds

This cold-brew recipe yields roughly 40 oz. of double-strength coffee extract. Depending on your taste, you can mix it with milk, water, or serve it over ice. If you prefer hot coffee but are seeking a cup that’s lower in acidity, you can add water and heat it for a smoother, classic cup of joe.

* Do not grind your coffee until you are ready to brew. Grinding in advance drastically alters the freshness of the coffee, and therefore, the quality of your final cup. If you can avoid pre-grinding, you should!

As the month of June (or as we like to call it, National Iced Tea Month) comes to a close, many will push forward making the entire summer the perfect time to salute tea, a beloved beverage that tastes great and is good for you.

Not only is tea the second most consumed beverage in the world after water, but on any given day more than half of the American population drinks tea. In fact, according to a survey of Americans commissioned by the Tea Council of the USA, more tea drinkers like their tea iced than hot (84% vs. 75%). Grab a glass and toast to some of the "cool" tea facts uncovered by the nationwide survey.

Iced Tea-Drinking Nation. Despite the stereotype, Midwesterners are more likely than Southerners to drink their tea iced (74% to 68%). But, one southern tradition does remain true – southern tea drinkers are more likely to reach for the sugar than people in any other part of the country (53% vs. 42%).

GuaranTEAd Crowd Pleaser. Millennials are just as likely as their older counterparts to drink tea (83% vs. 82%). They are also more likely than older generation tea drinkers to drink green tea on the go (34% vs. 19%), at a tea shop (24% vs. 12%), on their commute (23% vs. 10%), at an event (19% vs. 10%), in nature (19% vs. 10%) or at a spa (12% vs. 7%).

StereoTEAypes. Millennials are more likely than older generations to associate tea drinkers with being younger as opposed to older (45% vs. 30%), male as opposed to female (32% vs. 24%), and loud as opposed to soft-spoken (23% vs. 18%).

Health-Conscious Craving. More Millennials than Gen-Xers, Boomers or Traditionalists are likely to drink tea to do something good for their body (47% vs. 41%), boost their immune system (41% vs. 31%), or maintain a healthy weight (32% vs. 22%).

Peter Goggi, President of the Tea Council of the USA recommends sipping plenty of tea this summer to stay cool, refreshed and healthy. According to Goggi, "There are many different types of teas available to suit each taste preference, and the amount of quality research being done on tea continues to support the idea that drinking tea can be a fulfilling, healthy addition to your diet."

This summer, keep cool and hydrated with a refreshing glass of iced tea and treat yourself to one of these thirst-quenching recipes:

Classic Iced Tea*:

• Bring one quart of fresh, cold, filtered water to a full boil in a teapot
• Remove from heat and add 8–10 tea bags per quart of tea
•
Steep for three to five minutes and pour over ice cubes or into additional cold water
•
To serve, pour into tall glass filled with ice, garnish and sweeten as desired

*Note: This recipe uses 50 percent more tea than is used to make hot tea to allow for dilution by ice.

Citrus Iced Tea:

• Mix a cup of orange juice into a pitcher of freshly-brewed iced tea
• Toss in a few orange and lemon slices for a citrus-y kick and added vitamin C

Raspberry Mint Iced Tea:

• Puree a handful of raspberries
•
Stir it into a pitcher of iced tea
•
Add some whole raspberries and a few sprigs of fresh mint for a refreshingly sweet warm-weather treat

Honey Iced Green Tea:

• Brew up a pitcher of iced green tea
•
Stir in some honey for a touch of sweetness

Visit the Tea Council of the USA or follow @TeaCouncil on Twitter to learn more about the varieties of tea and their many health benefits.

From how much tea to use to why fridge tea is superior to sun tea Elyssa Goldberg, contributor to bon appétit shares everything you need to know about how to cold brew and ice brew tea.

Cold Brew
“Literally you put it in a fridge with cold water,” said Elena Liao, founder of Té Company in New York and importer of Taiwanese oolongs. “The colder temperature doesn’t steep out the tannins the way hot water does, so cold-brewed tea is actually less astringent and less caffeinated.”

The method: Float the tea leaves in water and let the container sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes to an hour, then put it in the fridge overnight, about eight hours. The next morning, strain and enjoy. If you were using high-quality tea leaves, you can re-steep the next night and let it sit for longer than just overnight (so, maybe 16 hours instead of the usual eight hours). The flavor will be a little bit lighter, but you’ll still get a great cold brew.

The leaves: The best teas to use are those that are a little bit sweeter, like a light oolong, she said, adding, “cold-brewed tea comes out much sweeter than their hot counterparts.”

The math: She recommends using between one and two teaspoons of tea leaves for every cup of water and four to five teaspoons for a liter carafe or bottle. The same goes for making cold-brewed iced tea with tea bags. Putting one tea bag in a whole liter-sized pitcher of water and letting it sit overnight isn’t enough. “It’s just lightly flavored water at that point,” said Jeff Ruiz, who is responsible for the tea program at Olmsted (also formerly of the tea program at Atera) in New York. He recommends using three to four bags per liter instead. You’ll inevitably use more leaves than you would if you were brewing the same volume hot, but trust the technique.

Beyond Cold-Brew: The Ice Brew
Ruiz swears by ice brewing (also known as kouridashi-style brewing), a Japanese method of frigid cold water extraction. With this technique, the tea brews as a big block of ice melts. “The colder the water, and the longer the period that the leaf spends on the water, the more concentrated the flavor,” he said.

The method: Start with a rocks glass. Put a big ice cube at the bottom (the kind of oversized cubes you might see in a fancy whiskey rocks at a nice cocktail bar) and drizzle a few drops of water on the ice cube to trigger the melting. If you level up and want to try your hand at fruity flavors in your iced tea, try making an infused syrup, like this plum concoction in our cold brew plum iced tea.

The leaves: Kouridashi is best utilized for really special tea leaves, such as super seasonal green shincha, gyokuro, or Bao Zhong oolong.

The math: Drop between one and two teaspoons of tea leaves into the cup (on top, next to, underneath—it doesn’t matter) and let it go for 20 to 30 minutes. “If you’re having guests over, you can make a pretty cool show out of it,” he said. “Plus, you’re able to extract more without pulling too much bitterness out of it.” Strain out the tea leaves and drink. It’ll be melted enough so that you have a small volume of really awesome iced tea. Also re-steep if you have a lot of extra time on your hands and are thirsty for more tea.

If that sounds stressful and overly fussy, try this shortcut instead: Put three ice cubes in a rocks glass and add about ¼ cup of water that’s just below boiling. Add between one to two teaspoons of tea leaves, and let that steep for about six minutes. Really, that’s it.

One last thing: If you botch your batch, there are a few ways to rescue it. Too strong? Just dilute it with more water. If it all just seems too far gone, you may as well get tipsy with it. Liao’s rule of thumb: The lighter the tea, the lighter the accompanying liquor. Roasted, deeper tea goes better with rum or whiskey; oolongs and greens pair best with gin or vodka. We’re not in the business of judging a well-timed heavy pour either.

To read other stories by Elyssa Goldberg or to subscribe to bon appétit magazine, visit: www.bonappetit.comClick here for a special offer from bon appétit!

You can get extra use out of teabags after your cup of tea - but only if you are willing to do so. You can reuse the teabag, but after the first cup it will start to lose it's flavor and strength. But if you think teabags are only used in the drink, there's plenty of other uses for them!

Reduce plantar warts. Plantar warts can be treated with teabags because of the tannin in the tea. On the affected area, place a warm wet teabag for 10-20 minutes, and then leave it to dry naturally. If you repeat this for a couple of days, hopefully the wart will go.

Give yourself a facial. Facials can be expensive, but you can make one at home... using tea. Place a brewed tea bag into a bowl of hot water. Then position your head over the bowl, and then put a towel over your head to keep the steam in. It will leave your face glowing and radiant!

Soothe burns and nicks from razors by applying a wet teabag to the skin.

If you have sunburn, a bruise, stings or bites, or a cold sore you can put a damp tea bag onto the area and it will help to soothe the skin.

If you have a big, dirty, greasy dish that seems impossible to clean, leave it overnight with hot water and a few brewed teabags. They will help break down the grease.

Clean dark leather shoes by wiping a wet, brewed teabag onto the surface of the shoe.

Control odors around the house with teabags. Put some used teabags in a bowl and place inside a smelly fridge. Leave overnight, remove the teabags and be left with the much nicer smell of tea!

Elephantea, a groundbreaking range of handpicked tea from Ceylon, Sri Lanka, is now being sipped and enjoyed by consumers around the country. The deliciously big flavors manufactured in the Golden Valley of Bogawantalawa are combined with a passion for doing good - a percentage of the profit generated from the sales of elephantea is used to fund non-profit organizations based in Sri Lanka to help raise awareness and create proactive changes as to the plight of elephants and to spearhead action to prevent poaching, harboring and harming of Sir Lankan wild elephants.

The elephantea herd is led by entrepreneurial father-daughter duo, Ron and Shani Atapattu. Moved and feeling the need to create awareness and proactive change after a trip to Sri Lanka, Shani approached Ron about founding a socially responsible tea company to assist in the conservation of Sri Lankan elephants. This is how elephantea started!

“Our family trickles down from generations of tea growers and elephant activists in Sri Lanka,“ said Ron Atapattu, co-founder of elephantea. “All of us at elephantea are humbled and honored by the opportunity to make a real difference in helping these majestic animals thrive and roam free.

”Sri Lanka’s ideal elevation, cool winds and soft sunshine contribute to making elephantea one of the finest teas in the world. Ceylon tea is known for its high quality and rich tradition, and elephantea is no different. The elephantea selection includes a variety of organic green and black teas, as well as noncaffeinated teas such as chamomile. Boxes of 20 bags sell for $4.99 at Amazong and Walmart. Click here for list of retailers in your area selling elephantea.

“Sri Lanka has such a vibrant culture and delicious varieties of native Ceylon tea, that it was a natural fit for us to bring our vision to life of creating the best tea with a strong socially responsible vision,” said Shani Atapattu, president and co- founder of elephantea. “Our commitment to preserving its beauty for generations to come is the driving force behind everything we do at elephantea.” For more info or to make a purchase, visit www.elephantea.com. #SipTeaSaveElephants

Deodorize Your Fridge
Place a bowl of dry grounds in your refrigerator or freezer to neutralize odors left by stale or spoiled food.

Clean Tools and Dishware
Place a few teaspoons of grounds on a thin cleaning rag and use to scour away grease and grime. Finish with a thorough rinsing.

Hide Furniture Scratches
Dip a cotton swab into steeped grounds and dab on scratches in dark wood furniture to minimize them. Just test in an inconspicuous area first.

Give Paper an Antique Look—A Crafty DIY Project
Dip paper or sheets of stationery in a soupy mix of grounds and water; allow them to sit a minute or two, then let dry and brush off the grounds.

Repel Insects
Mound grounds into a ring to create a protective border around plants that will ward off ants and slugs.

Grow Blue Hydrangeas
Work grounds into the soil at the base of mophead hydrangeas to increase the acidity level. This helps the shrubs absorb aluminum, which you can add to the soil to keep the flowers a vibrant blue.

Scrub Hands
Rub a scoop of grounds between palms as an exfoliant to remove dead skin and help eliminate smells from foods like fish and garlic.

Fortify Plants
Give seedlings a nitrogen boost by stirring grounds into soil or a watering can.

Keyway Innovations is proud to announce the launch of Qi Aerista, the ultimate WiFi-enabled smart tea maker that can hot brew, cold brew, or strong brew your favourite tea perfectly every time. Backers can support Qi Aerista for as low as $99 per unit on Kickstarter at http://e.toolz.ai/qi from now till December 14.

"Tea is delicate and when brewed properly, makes a tremendous difference in taste," said Rick Ha, Founder and CEO of Keyway Innovations. "That is why we created Qi Aerista to simplify the brewing process for all types of tea. Even someone new to tea can enjoy a perfect cup every time."

Qi Aerista's patented circulative infusion system will heat and maintain a consistent water temperature specific to your tea type, then a circulative water flow optimally immerses and steeps the tea leaves with precise time control for optimal infusion. With its unique tea-water separation architecture, Qi Aerista solves the problems of over or under-steeping of tea faced by today's tea drinkers.

Qi Aerista includes 6 preset programs for cold brewing, floral, green, black, oolong, and milk tea. With Qi Aerista's app, users can access advanced functions such as customizing water temperature and brewing time with per degree/second precision, managing the brewing process remotely, setting reservation timers, and discovering the world of tea.

Qi Aerista is available on Kickstarter for as low as $99 per unit until the campaign ends on December 14, with worldwide shipping to backers starting in June 2017. Qi Aerista will retail for $239.

Founded in 2013, Keyway Innovations is a hardware startup based in Hong Kong, focusing on delivering a quality tea experience to all passionate tea lovers around the world. Founders Rick Ha, Ph.D. in Computer Engineering, and Co-founder Karen Wan, CPA and Certified Tea Evaluator, lead the team. With their love for a good cup of tea and years of experience in R&D and financial management, their vision is to bring more tea lovers into the world of tea and reinvent people's tea experience through simplicity and innovation.